Michigan educated its student-athletes about avoiding online dangers long before Te'o hoax

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Michigan had been educating its student-athletes about problems while social networking long before the Manti Te'o girlfriend hoax became tabloid fodder.

Athletic director Dave Brandon provided some details Friday for people attending an event hosted by the University of Toledo College of Business.

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Michigan hired Florida-based 180 Communications — a group specializing in media training, with an additional focus on social media — for a presentation in the fall of 2011. A woman who works for the company became Facebook friends with some Wolverines football players. After some of them interacted with her online, she came to Ann Arbor to teach them a lesson about being more careful.

Ronaiah Tuiasosopo has said he tricked Te'o, a former Notre Dame linebacker, into falling for a fake woman he created online.